Tom Greer

Just two seasons ago NBL teams were folding and many players were unsure if the league would remain alive. The NBL’s announcement they want to add four new sides to the league for the 2015-2016 season while shortening the season and increasing the amount of games we play is basically a great move.

And a second Melbourne franchise, based in south-east Melbourne, will be crucial. However, if these teams aren’t a success, especially the Melbourne one, we will alienate more fans and lose some forever, some of those skilled players could leave as well.

But seeing the NBL in position to add four new teams in the near future brings one hell of a sigh of relief to everyone involved in the sport. Expansion brings some significant positives, especially to our players.

More teams equals more playing jobs so more of our talented players can return to being full-time professionals.

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The potential for more games brings with it the chance for clubs to make more money from game nights, through potential TV deals and this will be welcomed by players, many of us feel like we are paid to train more rather than paid to play.

We play two games a week at maximum and we know we can play more.

Bringing a second Melbourne team and a second New Zealand team will begin two much-needed rivalries between the two Melbourne clubs and the two Kiwi clubs.

So many of us remember the grudge matches between South East Melbourne Magic and Melbourne Tigers in the 1990s – the thought of this returning excites everyone in the sport.

But like all things in life, expansion will bring new challenges and obstacles.

People outside the south-east have complained it will be too far to travel for matches, others have said public transport is not as good in those suburbs.

But Melbourne Boomers’ in the WNBL moved from Bulleen to the State Basketball Centre in Wantirna South this year and their supporters followed, that stadium borders on several major roads which should help fans get to the game.

The NBL has increased its TV viewership and crowd attendance this season and we have added NBA quality imports in James Ennis from Perth and Sam Young from Sydney, plus the Tigers’ most valuable player Chris Goulding has become the first Australian player to lead the NBL in scoring for several seasons, he also scored 50 points in a game against Sydney recently.

We are also starting to see our best Australian players returning home instead of playing in Europe, with London Olympians Adam Gibson and Mark Worthington joined by AJ Ogilvy and Steve Markovic this season.

At the Tigers we feel like we have put our pawprint back on this city.

Our membership is now the second-highest in the league behind Perth, we regularly sold out the State Netball and Hockey Centre and our recent crowds of Hisense Arena have passed 7000.

Our club has also spent countless hours reconnecting with grassroots players and making it known we are Melbourne’s team, not the extension of one junior club.

Bringing a second team to Melbourne offers supporters a choice, some will chose our opposition; it could be a short-term problem, but I hope it’s not. The Tigers are Melbourne’s club. The club has survived through the darkest days of the NBL and come out the other side as strong as ever. A new team in Melbourne is openly supported by myself and the Tigers. Every big brother needs a little brother to beat up on so I really hope for the league's sake we can make this happen and let the ‘‘nuggies’’ begin. We have asked people to come and support basketball and they have – a few have even worn the singlets of former Melbourne teams to our matches.

Our tickets are starting to be in demand but some will be concerned a new team could stall our progress, progress which has not just been good for our club but also for the NBL.

But like always we see this as a challenge and an opportunity, just look at what A-League clubs Melbourne Victory and Melbourne Heart have done with their rivalries. Its will be up to the new team in Melbourne to create a brand as the Melbourne Tigers are the most established brand in the league.

I hope the NBL will act wisely with who they appoint to run this franchise and how they go about promoting it.

The Tigers have been successful with a second team in the city before and we will again.